Soul

Whilst it is paramount to nourish the body, it is just as important to nourish our minds, the self, and others. One way I like to do this is by grounding myself at regular intervals throughout the year. A grounding meditation allows you to clear your mind of daily stresses, center yourself in the turning wheel of the year, and harness the inherent energy around you, turning it into your own personal power.

Spring is a time of remembrance, a time of renewal and rebirth, and a time to sew the seeds of new ideas, new intentions, and new relationships in this deeply fertile time of year. You only have to look around you to see the green bursting forth, the birds buzzing with renewed energy, the winds bringing warmer air. Observing these seasonal changes allows you not only a deeper understanding of the passing of time, but grants you the opportunity to analyze the past, come to terms with it, and dig the roots you’ll need to face the future.

I find that I am truly satisfied and at peace with myself, when I’m not just letting time push me along, but actively participating in its passing. Ever missed out on a Thanksgiving or Christmas celebration? Your birthday? New Years? That feeling of disorientation that follows is what a grounding meditation overcomes. It allows you to have your communion with the present moment, witness it, cherish it, and lay it to rest as it moves on. It is also a great time to give thanks for all that you have experienced and visualize what you hope to actualize in the future.

Today is Earth Day, the perfect day to perform this guided meditation. It is taken from Dianne Sylvan’s The Circle Within. Read through it first, then set up your space where you will perform the meditation. If you’re a newbie to this, I recommend using some form of music to guide you as you visualize the following. For a soothing meditation, try Calm.com and select any one of their visual or auditory experiences. I personally like a more energizing option; an upbeat instrumental like Lindsey Sterling’s Crystallize really sets the mood for me.

Set up your space, get comfortable, and begin:

Find a place where you can sit quietly for a moment with as few distractions as possible. Sit with your back straight and close your eyes. Bring your attention to your breath; try to breathe from deep within your belly, rather than high in your chest. Let your breath lead you into a state of calm, soothing your heartbeat, soothing your mind.

Now imagine yourself sitting in a field of warm, sunlit grass. The sky is a clear, jewel-like blue, the clouds feathery and soft. The breeze kisses your face like an old lover, and you can hear the distant song of birds far off in the forest.

As you exhale, visualize roots extending from your body into the ground. With each breath, send them deeper, passing through the topsoil, through the groundwater and bedrock, down through the layers of the Earth. With each breath, your roots draw closer to the center of the Earth, the heart of the Mother.

Soon, warm Earth energy begins to gather around your roots. Now, as you inhale, draw that energy up through the roots and into your body. Inhale, drawing energy up; exhale, pushing your roots a little deeper. The Earth energy may be colored, or invisible; it may move quickly like electricity or slowly like water. As it fills you, it gives you strength and clarity.

When you feel full of the energy, visualize it pushing out through the top of your head as great spreading branches. With each exhalation, push the branches farther up into the sky, into the clouds, toward the life-giving sun. The sun’s gentle heat shines down on your branches, which unfurl their leaves in celebration. Feel your leaves absorbing the sun’s energy, the energy of the Father. Each time you inhale, draw it down into your body. The energy [of the sun] mingles with the Earth’s energy, turning slowly around the center of your body, where the two mix into a soft white radiance that fills you with peace.

Then, once you are calm and strong and ready, begin to pull your branches and roots back into your body. Inhale, drawing them farther and farther in. When they are fully retracted, imagine that the energy inside you is sealed within your skin. Finally, bring your awareness back to the room or space you are in, and open your eyes.